1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to conveyors and, more particularly, to a conveyor for simultaneously loading raw material into and removing finished parts from a compression mold.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compression molds are used for manufacturing many different types of parts, such as panels for the automotive industry. In such a compression mold, the mold includes two halves which are moved between an open and a closed position. In their open position, finished parts are removed from the mold and, similarly, new raw material is positioned in between the mold halves. With the raw material positioned in between the mold halves, the mold halves are moved together to their closed position thus applying pressure to the raw material contained between the mold halves. In doing so, the heat formed by the compression of the raw material between the mold halves causes the raw material to flow into the chamber formed between the mold halves. The mold chamber corresponds in shape to the desired shape of the finished part.
Following completion of the molding operation, the mold halves are again moved to their open position whereupon the finished part is removed from the mold and, thereafter, new raw material is placed in between the mold halves whereupon the above procedure is repeated.
As in most manufacturing operations, the cycle time of the molding operation, i.e. the time required to complete one molding operation, should be as minimal as possible in order to maximize manufacturing efficiency. However, the previously known methods for both unloading finished parts from the mold, as well as loading new raw material into the mold in preparation for the next molding operation, has been slow and has increased the overall cycle time of the molding operation. This in turn has decreased manufacturing efficiency.